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Moore Memorable Moments of 2009
31
December
1
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Today is the last day of 2009 and with that comes the desire to take a moment to reflect back on the treasured events of this past year.  We are thankful for the Lord’s many blessings!  He is always so faithful to provide for our needs and bless us with delights along the way.  Even the difficult times are a blessing from Him, since they cause us to draw even closer to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here are a few of our memory highlights of 2009:

Brian

  • Bed & Breakfast weekend getaway gift given to Mandy and I from students in the ministry
  • Summer vacationing in the Adirondacks for the first time…being blessed with an incredible campsite
  • Speaking the full message from 2 Peter for the Calvary Church main service the day after my birthday
  • 24 hour Junior & Senior guys wilderness retreat this past November.  The outdoors is a great place for getting to know others and growing deeper with God.
  • Getting a bow and arrows, something that I have wanted to get for years…now to keep practicing and learn hunting to get my first deer (hopefully a 2010 highlight!)

Mandy

  • Watching Addie play soccer!  That girl just headed the ball :)   GOAL!!!
  • Hearing Emma tell all about her day at school.  She is so animated in her stories and just loves her teacher Mr. Gillis who is SOOOO funny :)
  • LISTENING to Isabelle bloom!  This last year has brought more and more words from our sweet Isabelle.  It has been a delight to hear her sing her first songs and begin to make jokes and tease.  She is changing so much right before our eyes.  As the Lord gives her the gift of speech we are getting to see more of her personality and the special way God has made her.
  • Learning what a backhoe is and how cool trash trucks are!  Having a two year old boy is wonderful!
  • Teaching at Study & Share, the woman’s Bible Study @ Calvary Church, in the spring.  Leading a Bible study in my home with four other mom’s.

Addie

  • Family vacation in the Adirondacks!  Bike riding and Kayaking
  • Going to High Point Summer Camp
  • Starting fourth grade!
  • Playing U10 girls soccer and winning 2nd place trophy.
  • Nancy Drew Mystery Books
  • Playing softball for the first time & pitching

Emma

  • Going to Woodcrest Summer Camp
  • Fishing on vacation
  • Having Uncle Mike and Aunt Kristi here for Thanksgiving
  • Starting the second grade!

Isabelle

  • Fancy Nancy books and horses!
  • Being in Mrs. Long and Mrs. Hiatt’s five day preschool class.
  • SINGING!

Owen

  • Watching fire works on the Fourth @ Long’s Park
  • Riding with Daddy and Andy in the Trash Truck!
  • making friends! Morgyn, Judd, Jake, Thomas…

You can check out our 2009 photo highlights in our gallery.  (click here to go straight to the slide show)

We look forward to the new year and all the wonderful blessing the Lord will bring along the way!  In a few days we will be writing about what God has directed us to focus on in 2010 and what some of our goals are.

Category: Addie, Brian, Emma, Family Life, fishing, Isabelle, Mandy, Owen, vacation  Tags: , , , , , , , ,  One Comment
Mandy’s Monday – Marriage in the Movies
28
December
4
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It is Christmas time and in addition to all the wonderful Christmas traditions comes the watching of movies in this house hold.  It may not be the most meaningful activity, but it is a fun one that we do more often this month than other times.  There are some great Christmas movies out there, that just beg to be watched each year!  “A Christmas Story” is one of my favorites and we watched, yes we did! “You will shoot your eye out!”  Love it!

Picture 4One of my new favorite Christmas movies is “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  Of course this is not a new movie, it is new to my list of favorites.  And if I had to pick my absolute FAVORITE Christmas movie it would probably be this one!  Since I am older, not old just older, I see things in this movie I never really paid attention to before.  About three years ago I found myself watching it alone, Brian was out of town, I was sitting on the couch crying thinking “I get it, the guy is depressed!” I just understand it in a different way than I used to!  George wants his life to matter for something, don’t we all.  The final scene where everyone is pouring in to give money and thanking him, well I just can’t watch it with out crying every year now!  This year something new struck me. It was Mary’s love and devotion to George.  She encouraged him all along the way and was patient with him when he was discouraged and down right mean!  I thought to myself, I don’t think I respond like that when Brian is having a “bad day”  I am more likely to tell him “hey, you are really being a jerk ya know…snap out of it…”  Mary encouraged me with her love and patience for George – a great picture of marriage!

Picture 2A week or so later Brian and I rented “Julie & Julia” to watch together.  I had been intrigued by this movie from the first trailer I saw.  I wanted to go see it with a group of 30something women thinking it would be fun.  It never happened (something that often happens with my ideas, they never come to reality).  So Brian and I watched it together, and I really enjoyed it.  I love to cook and so the cooking side was fun but what I really liked I did not expect.  I enjoyed the picture of marriage seen in the lives of both Julia and Julie.  Here was a story about two already married couples, even married for awhile, and the plot showed them very much in love, even passionate for one another :)   Paul standing along side Julia encouraging her endeavors and Eric doing the same for Julie, even PUSHING her to try something new.  The couples encouraged me to enjoy my marriage, a beautiful gift I am always thankful for!

This brings us to Christmas afternoon!  On a side note I now know why so many people go to the movies on Christmas afternoon.  After you have stayed up late wrapping and UP movie scenesetting stuff out, been woken up early by excited kids and then cooked a big meal you are ready to chill out with a movie or send all your house guests to one so you can recover :)   We did not go to the theater, we watched “Up” at home, which was given to our Aunt Kathy who was here for Christmas.  The kids had seen this movie earlier, but Brian and I had not.  Again I was surprised to find myself encouraged in marriage, from UP!  a kids movie!  I did not even get to see all of the beginning where the courtship and marriage of Carl and Ellie are told in detail, I was in the kitchen cleaning dishes still.  Even so I was brought to tears by the love and devotion shown in their relationship.  And it held an extra special string to my heart with the adventure theme!  Adventure, specifically an appetite for adventure is one of our family values.  :)   Up encouraged my heart to continue to be devoted to Brian and to live for the adventure of being married to him and having four kids (four kids and marriage is an adventure to say the least, then you throw in all our dreams and desire and it is quite a ride)!

Movies and stories are so very powerful!  With them we can be inspired, encouraged, spurred on to greater living… I am thankful for these three pictures of marriage in the movies!  Encouraged to love more, to be more patient, to enjoy more, to be devoted and seek adventure!

Category: love, Mandy, Mandy's Mondays, marriage, movies  4 Comments
How I spent an HOUR in the US Post Office, $80.00 and Looked Like an Idiot in the Process!
15
December
4
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Last night I was up till 2:00 am wrapping gifts for family members that live states away.  That was the task for yesterday so that today’s task, mailing would be simple!  Well that turned out to be a false expectation.  Here is how I spent an hour and $80.00 at the US Post office this morning and looked like an idiot in the process!!

I decided to give the flat rate boxes a try, since they are suppose to be so hassle free.  I was not sure what sizes they came in and if my presents would fit.  I had five different locations that I was sending presents to.  So I stopped by the post office to check on the boxes thinking I would get them if possible and bring them home to assemble and label… I arrived in the very small packed waiting area of the post office, looked over the boxes and discovered I needed to ask the one employee a question of clarification before leaving with boxes.  I asked the next man in line if he would mind if I asked her a question.  His replay was “why YES I would mind!”  Alright then I will just wait! (I should have just left right then!)  When my turn came I asked a clarifying question about boxes for flat rate, unfortunately it looked like none of the flat rate boxes would hold my gifts.  The employee was kind and tried to reassure me that something could be worked out.  So I decided to go get three of the destination present bundles that I believed might fit in the flat rate boxes.  Got back and put those three boxes together and then discovered my purse was outside.  Back outside I went to get the purse and then back inside…  Stood in line totally consumed with thoughts of boxes and fitting stuff.   The lady in front of me tried to give me advice and find boxes for me.

I then reached the counter of the new second employee who had just opened his window and he teased me for not having the boxes taped.  He then asked if I had labels filled out, well NO I was to busy trying to think of fitting stuff in to think of labels!  I moved to the side and filled out labels.   I then was able to get these paid for and mailed.  While waiting for the debit card to approve I asked if this guy had a thought on the best action to take with the other 9 presents still in the car that were to go to two different locations.  I was contemplating boxing at home, but the employee kept saying it might be better to put them in two flat rate boxes… He also said “I am sure I have a box in the back why don’t you go get them.”  With his recommendation I went out once again and brought all 9 presents back in.  Here is where I REALLY felt like an idiot!  Here I am in this VERY cramped post office with my nine wrapped presents trying to figure out boxes all the while thinking WHY!!  The people in the line have now circulated all the way through to a new group and the new people have no idea that I was encouraged to do all this by the post office employees!  Instead they are probably thinking “This lady is crazy!  Why did she come to the post office with all these presents and not have a box or a plan?”

I get back up to the window and mail one set off.  The second set does not fit!  I decide to leave the biggest gift out, I am not even sure that the person it is for will even like it!  I am worn out at this point and want to go crawl under a rock and hide!  Just take my presents and send them to someone, anyone!  Then I have to decide if it should be sent priority mail and get there or chance it and save a few bucks, AAAHHHH!!!! The employee continues to try to figure out how I can send the one lone present that does not fit.  At this point I think “Let me just get out of here!  I sure hope no one makes a comment about me, I just might loose it!”

Exactly one hour later I leave.  It cost me $80.00 to mail five different packages going to Texas, Oklahoma and North Carolina.  It cost me my reputation @ the post office, I don’t want to go back any time soon.  It cost me humiliation in front of the others in line, did I mention one was a Dad of Emma’s friend from school.  But in return my gifts are on their way and I have a funny story to tell :) (Well all except the one gift still in my car that just would not fit.  I think I will just keep that one !)

Category: Uncategorized  4 Comments
Mandy’s Monday – Beautifully Brave Bartimaeus!
26
October
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I have always loved the story of Bartimaeus the blind man who called out to Jesus as Jesus was passing by. You can find the account in Mark 10:46-52.

I was first introduced to this passage by my youth pastor, Dean Woodward, many years ago. I can still see him telling the story reinacting Bartimaeus crying out to Jesus “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” I loved the way Dean would tell about the disciples trying to hush Bartimaeus and then the way they changed their tune when Jesus stopped to address Bartimaus. They went from rebuking Bartimaeus to encouraging him! “Take heart. Get up; [Jesus] is calling you.”

While in college at Columbia International University I was assigned a word study for the words “all the more” found in verse 48. Sounds like a strange word study, but I loved it! This phrase is used several times in Scripture. It is used here to describe Bartimaeus’ response when rebuked, he cried out to Jesus “all the more”. It is used when the crowd is asked by Pilate if he should release Jesus “and they cried out all the more Crucify him!” (Matthew 27:23) In Romans 5:20 we are told, “where sin increased, grace abounded ALL THE MORE”! What an amazing picture!

So I came to this passage last week already loving it and by no surprise God showed me a new adoration :) Brian and I are currently reading Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton together. Last week we worked through chapter one individually and then had a great date night discussion! The chapter was on desires and it lead us to Bartimaeus. Here is a blind man sitting on the side of the road who decides to cry out to Jesus for help. I love the way he does so “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Bartimaeus asks for mercy. He asks to receive that which he does not deserve, he knows his own sin, his own brokeness and the fact that before the Lord he needs mercy. Bartimaeus does not give up when told by others to be quiet! Oh, no! He cries out all the more! Then Jesus calls to him, and asks him the most beautiful question “What do you want me to do for you?”

Barton writes “Jesus himself routinely asked people questions that helped them to get in touch with their desire and name it in his presence. He often brought focus and clarity to his interactions with those who were spiritually hungry by asking them, “What do you want? What do you want me to do for you?”"

Bartimaeus has a precious gift, Jesus is asking him “what do you want me to do for you?”, and he responds with a deeply personal request. “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.”

Barton challenged her readers to answer this question “what do you want Jesus to do for you?”. As I sat and pondered this I was struck by Bartimaeus’ personal request. He asked for something in his own life. He was honest about his deep desire to see. There is a balance in our prayers, we should not always be coming with our own needs in mind. We should ultimately be deeply burdened with the very glory of God increasing in this world. I agree and feel this strongly, but I was also deeply moved by the fact that Jesus wants to know the deep personal desires I have in life! Tears came to my eyes as I answered the question “I want you to bless my family Lord!” I don’t mean “Lord, give me lots of money and stuff and make everything perfect.” What I do mean is “Make your face shine upon us! Help us to be the godly parents you desire. Bless us with a close relationship with our children. Guide us in wisdom. Bless us with your presence. Bless us with you Lord!!”

I think Bartimaeus was brave! I think he was beautiful! And even more so I think Jesus was a blessing to Bartimaeus as a result. Ponder anew what the Almighty can do! My new adoration for Mark 10:46-52 :)

Category: biblical studies, Colleges, Mandy's Mondays, marriage, prayer, spiritual life, Uncategorized  Leave a Comment
What is Christianity All About?
20
October
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Simply Christian Book Cover“Christianity is not about a new moral teaching – as though we were morally clueless and in need of some fresh or clearer guidelines…Christianity isn’t about Jesus offering a wonderful moral example, as though our principal need was to see what a life of utter love and devotion to God and to other people would look like, so that we could try to copy it…Nor is Christianity about Jesus offering, demonstrating, or even accomplishing a new route by which people can ‘go to heaven when they die.’…Christianity isn’t about giving the world fresh teaching about God himself…Christianity is all about the belief that the living God, in fulfillment of his promises and as the climax of the story of Israel, has accomplished all this – the finding, the saving, the giving of new life – in Jesus.  He has done it.  With Jesus, God’s rescue operation has been put into effect once and for all.” (N.T. Wright Simply Christian)

That is the story of the whole of scripture…God’s Epic Rescue of his creation, heaven and earth colliding and the power of grace and mercy triumphing over the power of the law.  We are to daily experience the rescue of God in our lives and be the rescue of God in others’ lives!  David Crowder’s song Remedy constantly pours through my head…

Oh, I can’t comprehendDavid Crowder Remedy Album cover
I can’t take it all in
Never understand
Such perfect love come
For the broken and beat
For the wounded and weak
Oh, come fall at His feet
He’s the remedy
He’s the remedy

He is the one who has saved us
He is the one who forgave us
He is the one who has come
and is coming again

The Epic Rescue Title ImageWe are currently teaching an 8 week series through the story of all of scripture and making sure we don’t lose or cut up our scriptures into unrelated parts, resulting in just a collection of stories and truths.  I am rediscovering how by keeping the whole in perspective, it brings out the richness of the details and specifics of scripture AND how my life is still part of this great rescue story.  This isn’t something that has merely taken place thousands of years ago, but a new-life story that is played out over and over through the days that you and I live!

If you are interested, I am posting the audio recordings of each week in my podcast media tab of this site.
(We have had some problems with some of the recordings that we hope to have worked out in the future.)

Category: biblical studies, Book Reviews, emergent, Insight, insights from books, messages, ministry, spiritual life, Theology  Leave a Comment
Mandy’s Monday – Pumpkin Globe
12
October
2
written by: | 2 Comments

I came across a neat idea in my kids school news letter, and I would like to share it with you!  It is a pumpkin globe!  Here are the instructions:

“Use a pumpkin “globe” to make learning geography fun.  With a magic marker, have your child draw the equator and the continents.  The North Pole can be the stem.  The pumpkin’s natural grooves can be lines of longitude.  Ask him to tell you about what he’s drawn on his “globe”.”

I thought this sounded fun and plan to make our own family pumpkin globe :)   I thought I might get creative and crazy and try to cut out the continents or practically do so, so that the light of a candle shines through – but don’t hold me to that.  I always dream up stuff bigger than I can accomplish, and the point is for my kids to have fun.  Not for me to WOW everybody!!  They would have fun with markers and probably not need to cut stuff out…

If you give this a try let me know and send pics!!  I will share mine when we have done ours.

Happy Fall everyone!  I just LOVE the fall!!! – and pumpkins too!!  pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin pie dip….mmmmm!!!!

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Category: Family Life, Just for fun, Mandy's Mondays, Motherhood  2 Comments
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